India’s current account deficit is expected to widen to 2.2% of GDP in FY27 from 0.6% in FY26 as elevated energy prices weigh on the external balance. Crisil Ratings forecasts Brent crude will average $90-95 per barrel this fiscal, about 32% higher than in fiscal 2026. India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to $28.2 billion in May 2026 amid higher import growth and continued pressure from oil.

6月18日，受美联储释放鹰派信号及美伊临时协议缓解地缘风险影响，黄金、白银价格显著走低：MCX黄金期货跌1.35%，白银期货跌2.73%；国际COMEX黄金跌超1%至4318.90美元/盎司，COMEX白银跌近3%至68.76美元/盎司；Brent原油跌1.64%至约78美元/桶，WTI跌2%至约75美元/桶。市场承压主因实际利率上行与避险需求减弱。

On June 18, 2026, spot gold fell to $4,339.10 per ounce and silver slipped to $69.46 per ounce, with both metals also easing on India’s MCX market. Daniela Corsini, an economist at Intesa Sanpaolo, forecast that gold could drop to around $4,000 per ounce and silver to $60 by the end of 2026 before stabilising. The summary noted that while a US-Iran agreement would typically bolster safe-haven demand, a sharp fall in crude oil prices has weakened near-term support for precious metals.

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate at 3.50–3.75% for a fourth consecutive meeting in June and raised the probability of a rate hike later this year to 50%. It also lifted its inflation outlook while lowering its GDP growth forecast. After the decision, U.S. Treasury yields jumped and Big Tech shares fell, with Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet and Amazon closing lower. The move reinforced expectations of higher rates for longer, weighing directly on valuations of long-duration growth stocks.

South Korea’s finance ministry said it will apply zero tariffs within quotas on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the second half of 2026, and also cut to zero the tariff on crude oil used to produce LPG. The ministry said the move is aimed at easing inflation pressure by helping stabilise utility and transportation costs. South Korea’s CPI rose 3.1% in May from a year earlier, the fastest pace in 26 months. The policy is set to take effect on July 1 after Cabinet approval.

The article examines a structural shift in 2026 as Indian borrowers increasingly turn to gold loans, drawn by lower credit hurdles, faster disbursals and the ability to keep ownership of pledged assets. It argues that household gold is moving from a “locker asset” to an active form of collateral. Tighter oversight of dynamic loan-to-value (LTV) management and reviews of borrowers’ total debt exposure are also pushing borrowers to maintain cleaner repayment records. High gold prices are boosting collateral values, while pledging rather than selling is indirectly easing supply pressure in the spot gold market.

A report says U.S. Henry Hub natural gas has rebounded from an April low of $2.77/MMBtu to above $3, helped by three straight weeks of storage injections below expectations and a sharply narrower year-on-year inventory surplus. Rising summer power demand, faster ramp-ups at LNG export facilities and incremental gas use from data centers have also supported prices. Price premiums in Europe and Asia continue to pull U.S. LNG cargoes, while disruptions along international shipping routes have further boosted the competitiveness of American LNG.